New to owning a Microbee - Printable Version +- Discussion Forum for all things Microbee (https://microbeetechnology.com.au/forum) +-- Forum: Microbee Forum (https://microbeetechnology.com.au/forum/forum-1.html) +--- Forum: Introductions (https://microbeetechnology.com.au/forum/forum-4.html) +--- Thread: New to owning a Microbee (/thread-985.html)

New to owning a Microbee - MarvinTMRX86 - 28-01-2026 Hi all, I'm Glenn and am posting from Sandstone (near Bribie Island, Qld, Aust).  Thanks for approving me into the group. My path through Computers has been C64>C128>Amiga>PC>PC>PC> etc etc and a career in IT (36 years now). My early exposure to Computers was Apple II at School, friends with Vic20's and then an older friend who was a HAM/Amateur Radio operator who was ex-communications for the AirForce. He had 2 Microbee machines at the time (1985). He was interested in intercepting Satellite transmissions and listening in. I was fascinated and became involved and started getting involved. Eventually we ended up writing software to communicate with Pack Rat (I think it was called) and decode Satelite transmissions and managed to obtain slow-scan TV. Always enjoyed my times working on the Microbee. Being a kid naturally there was the lure of games and I ended up selling my Trainset and mowing lawns to eventually purchase my first Computer being the C64 Breadbin. Although the games were the attraction I ended up more fascinated by programming and real world interfacing the C64.  Fast forward to recent times and I'm absolutely obsessed with Retro computing. I work with the latest technology every day but prefer to come home and work on retro machines, I find it calming. I now and have a lot of retro machines but the nostalgia of working on the Microbee has always been there. Word seems to get around and people bring me old machines to tinker with. Some time back a client brought a Microbee to me and I spent a lot of time replacing components but never got it working and ended up selling it on ebay as parts which was really disappointing because the Microbee is pretty rare. More recently a customer brought me another Microbee and I've been working away cleaning it and checking components for some time now. The first thing I tested in isolation was the PSU and it was overvolting at 15.6V so I discarded that and built my own version of a power supply and dialled down the voltage to 9 volts. Last night was the moment of truth. I connected the power and sure enough I have MicroBee Disk Monitor c1983 screen. I was so happy!!!  BTW: Should it "beep" when its turned on from the speaker? I can't remember? I have a lot of work to do still. It appears that almost all the keys work but haven't been able to get anything out the "V" key and the disk drives don't power on at all. Actually plugging them in results in the display disappearing on the Microbee so thats my next challenge. I found your wonderful group and thought I'd introduce myself and share my story.  The more I learn about the Microbee the more puzzled I am as to why I didn't hear more about the Microbee "back in the day". The Microbee is an amazing machine and such an integral part of the Australian Computer History.  Anyway, I'm enjoying my journey and here's some pics for you. -Glenn Model II 1982 with MB1656 Component board RE: New to owning a Microbee - ChickenMan - 29-01-2026 Hi Glenn and welcome to the forum What you have is generally referred to as a 56k Microbee with the Floppy controller board in the twin floppy box. If you connect the 50 way cable and turn the Floppy box on, it will also power the Microbee via the 50way cable. Dont apply power via the grey din plug cable. We have heap on disk images, documentation, roms etc etc in our Repository which you need to register to get access here https://microbeetechnology.com.au/forum/thread-15.html RE: New to owning a Microbee - MarvinTMRX86 - 29-01-2026 Thank you for the welcome and for pointing out more details with regard to what I have and the repository. I've applied for access now and look forward to learning more. Have a great day.